The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.
Generally blind rivets include a mandrel and a tubular shell. The mandrel typically has a pulling stem with a radially enlarged head attached at one end. An axial bore may be formed through the length of the shank and the flange. Part of the pulling stem of the mandrel may be located within the bore, with the enlarged head abutting against the end of the shank remote from the flange. The rest of the pulling stem can extend beyond the flange away from the tubular shell. The tubular shell can generally have a cylindrical shaped shank with a radial flange formed at one end of the shank for engaging a face of the workpiece. A portion of the shell can be of a reduced cross-section or form a breakneck on the part of the stem that is located within the shank.
Typically, in order to set the blind rivet, the flange can be held stationary whilst the exposed part of the pulling stem is pulled axially away from the flange so that the enlarged head is forced to pass through the bore. Because the diameter of the enlarged head is substantially larger than the bore, it can cause the shank to plastically deform to form an annular bulge or fold, which can project radially outwardly from the shank. Thus the radially outward bulge forms the blind head and can secure the opposite side of the workpiece to that of the flange. Once the pulling force on the stem exceeds a predetermined amount, the breakneck can break to leave the rivet set. The rest of the stem can then be removed and discarded.
In many situations, the rivet may need to be removed from the workpiece in order to repair or replace the workpiece. Typically, in order to remove the blind rivet from the workpiece, the breakneck section is drilled out using a suitable piece of equipment and then the rivet may be tapped out of the workpiece, using such equipment as a mallet. However, in situations where the rivet may not be easily accessible with a drill or a mallet, the workpiece may have to be damaged in order to access the rivet to remove it, or the workpiece may have to be scrapped. Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a blind rivet that can be more easily removed from a workpiece.